Windows XP Drops Below 40%, Windows 8 Passes 1%

According to the Internet analysis firm, Windows 8 had a share of 1.09 percent of all operating systems at the end of the first full month of its availability.

It is too early to make a judgment on what that number really means, even if that 1.09 percent includes all those users who used the operating system prior to its release and simply upgraded when it became available in October 2012. However, it is unlikely that Windows 8 will reach the market share of Windows 7, which was released in October 2009. Net Applications said that Windows 7's average market share during the fourth quarter 2009 was 3.97 percent.

Windows 7 increased its market share in November from 44.60 percent to 44.71 percent, indicating that consumers are still picking the old operating system. Windows XP, however, fell below 40 percent for the first time in almost 10 years and is now estimated at 39.82 percent share.

StatCounter released vastly different market share numbers. The company estimates Windows 7 market share at 53.15 percent and Windows XP share at 26.19 percent. StatCounter did not release Windows market share numbers and listed the new OS under "other" operating systems, which landed at 3.08 percent.